In 1954, the management consulting firm of Cresap, McCormick and Paget was hired to review ALA structures, governance and fiscal policies. The report, released to the membership at the 1955 Annual Conference in Philadelphia, made several recommendations leading to a restructuring of the organization into type-of-library divisions and type-of activity divisions. Although it was approved by ALA Council in 1955, the organizational recommendations were not implemented until 1957. Among the major impacts were establishment of divisions by type of library and type of activity, greater responsibility for Council, closer relationship between Council and the Executive Board, appointment of divisional secretaries and simplification of the dues structure.

In 1954, the management consulting firm of Cresap, McCormick and Paget was hired to review ALA structures, governance and fiscal policies. The report, released to the membership at the 1955 Annual Conference in Philadelphia, made several recommendations leading to a restructuring of the organization into type-of-library divisions and type-of activity divisions. Although it was approved by ALA Council in 1955, the organizational recommendations were not implemented until 1957. Among the major impacts were establishment of divisions by type of library and type of activity, greater responsibility for Council, closer relationship between Council and the Executive Board, appointment of divisional secretaries and simplification of the dues structure.

This paper provides some of the historical context of the efforts of the American Library Association (ALA) to define, extend, protect and advocate for equity of access, focusing on central tendencies rather <span class="plainlinks">[http://www.shoppharmacycounter.com/ <span style="color:black;font-weight:normal; text-decoration:none!important; background:none!important; text-decoration:none;">weight loss supplements</span>] than internal debate.

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This paper provides some of the historical context of the efforts of the American Library Association (ALA) to define, extend, protect and advocate for equity of access, focusing on central tendencies rather than internal debate.

--Submitted to the Executive Board of the American Library Association at its annual conference, June 14, 2002.

--Submitted to the Executive Board of the American Library Association at its annual conference, June 14, 2002.

Timeline

History

Preliminary Beginnings

In 1853, conference was held in New York City with the intent of forming a permanent organization. The conference was attended by 80 men. Charles
Jewett (Smithsonian Institution) was elected president. Seth Hastings Grant (New York Mercentile Library) was elected secretary. A committee was appointed to organize a second meeting in 1854. That meeting was not held.

Founding of the American Library Association

During the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876, 103 librarians, 90 men and 13 women, responded to a call for a "Convention of Librarians" to be held October 4-6 at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. At the end of the meeting, according to Ed Holley in is essay "ALA at 100," "the register was passed around for all to sign who wished to become charter members," making October 6, 1876 to be ALA's birthday.

In attendance were 90 men and 13 women, among them Justin Winsor (Boston Public, Harvard), William Frederick Poole (Chicago Public, Newberry), Charles Ammi Cutter (Boston Athenaeum), Melvil Dewey, and Richard Rogers Bowker. Attendees came from as far west as Chicago and from England.

The aim of the Association, in that resolution, was "to enable librarians to do their present work more easily and at less expense."

Growth of Division Structure

Although a number of committees, working groups, round tables and other units of organization for accomplishing work had been established within ALA, it was not until the report of the Third Activities Committee in 1939 that divisions were established. The recommendations of the Third Activities Committee made Council a body entirely elected by the membership representative of specific interests and geographic distribution. It also authorized divisions representing fields of activity in general distinct for that of others, distributed 20% of the dues of a division's members, and granted each division "complete autonomy over and responsibility for the conduct of its own affairs and expenditures of its allotted funds."<ref>Cresap, McCormick and Paget. The ALA Management Survey. ALA Bulletin, vol. 49, no. 8 (Sept. 1955), p. 421.</ref> In 1940 and 1941, six divisions were authorized: Division of Public Libraries, Library Extension Division, Trustees Division, Division of Cataloging and Classification, Association of College and Reference Libraries, and Division of Libraries for Children and Young People, with the Division of Hospital Libraries (1944) and Library Education Division (1946) added later.

In 1954, the management consulting firm of Cresap, McCormick and Paget was hired to review ALA structures, governance and fiscal policies. The report, released to the membership at the 1955 Annual Conference in Philadelphia, made several recommendations leading to a restructuring of the organization into type-of-library divisions and type-of activity divisions. Although it was approved by ALA Council in 1955, the organizational recommendations were not implemented until 1957. Among the major impacts were establishment of divisions by type of library and type of activity, greater responsibility for Council, closer relationship between Council and the Executive Board, appointment of divisional secretaries and simplification of the dues structure.

Round Table Development

People

Notes

Rocks in the Whirlpool: Equity of Access and the American Library Association. by Kathleen de la Peña McCook .

Access to Information; Information Policy; Information Technology; Intellectual Freedom; Library Associations; Library Role; Library Services; Minority Groups; User Needs (Information)
ERIC Document # ED462981
This paper provides some of the historical context of the efforts of the American Library Association (ALA) to define, extend, protect and advocate for equity of access, focusing on central tendencies rather than internal debate.
--Submitted to the Executive Board of the American Library Association at its annual conference, June 14, 2002.